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El Paso County endorses cross-border public-education campaign after JuE1rez tick-borne outbreak
Summary
Commissioners unanimously approved endorsing a public-education effort coordinated with Ciudad JuE1rez and state/federal partners to reduce rickettsial disease risk after JuE1rez reported multiple child deaths.
El Paso County Commissioners on July 28 endorsed a public-education campaign and binational coordination to reduce the risk of rickettsiosis, a tick-borne infection that local and Mexico officials say has caused multiple deaths among children in Ciudad JuE1rez.
County staff and public-health partners told the court the outbreak in JuE1rez has produced at least 27 confirmed deaths this year and disproportionately affected children ages 5E09; early symptoms can be misdiagnosed as influenza or allergies, delaying treatment.
The nut graf: County Animal Welfare and the Department of Public Health urged a joint, cross-border approach to prevention that couples animal-focused interventions (tick and flea control, pet vaccination and environmental sanitation) with clinician education and community awareness for earlier treatment. Commissioners voted to endorse the campaign so El Paso can share consistent, bilingual messaging and targeted resources with high-risk communities.
Animal Welfare interim director Crystal Reyes said staff participated in an information session in JuE1rez and recommended an outreach campaign focused on humid, higher-risk neighborhoods in Tornillo, Clint, San Luis, Fabens and Canutillo. "A joint approach would help ensure residents in our border community receive consistent information and access to prevention resources," Reyes said.
Doctors from Paso del Norte region partners joined the court. Dr. Diego Ocaranza said prevention efforts have kept cases low so far in El Paso, but warned that the disease "has no borders" and urged sustained cooperation. Dr. Alvaro Medina, El Paso County chief veterinarian, described volunteer veterinary testing and flea-and-tick prevention drives; he said early campaigns at community events were well received.
Texas Department of State Health Services regional veterinarian Dr. Susan Schaff said clinicians in El Paso have received CDC briefings on recognizing and treating Rocky Mountain spotted fever, the U.S. name for severe rickettsial disease. Schaff added that control of free-roaming and stray dogs and reduction of tick populations are central to human disease prevention.
Commissioner Judge Samaniego moved to endorse the campaign; Commissioner Butler seconded. The court voted unanimously to approve the endorsement and directed staff to coordinate materials and logistics with regional partners and JuE1rez officials.
The campaign endorsement is nonbinding: the court did not appropriate new money in this vote. Staff asked only for the court's official backing to proceed with interlocal planning and bilingual messaging, and to use limited existing vaccine/parasite-prevention supplies at targeted events. The county said it will return if funding or program shifts require further commission action.
